Weller TCP soldering iron

I have a Weller TCP soldering iron from the 80's I guess - it was being thrown out at one of my previous employers due to it not being the same as their newer ones.

It works fine but the tip has seen better days so I'd like to replace it but I'm not sure how to get it apart! Any advice would be appreciated as I have a little job for it!

The tip is held in by the end of the long shroud over the heating element. Unscrew the big nut at the bottom, it shouldn't be very tight (mine is a knurled nut that can only be done finger tight), pull off the shroud and pull the tip out from its recess.

If the tip hasn't been changed for many years they tend to be very tight due to stuff build up where it sits in the socket. When you get a new tip a little cleaning will most likely be needed. Back in the day Weller ( I think ) supplied a grease to prevent this locking. At RARDE we had something to wipe on.

When you get a new tip make sure the temperature range is correct for the solder you intend to use. Mine are for old style cored solder, of which I have a 3 lifetimes stash, and struggles with the modern stuff. Undoing a joint is OK but if I had to solder a board with new style solder I'd get a new tip of appropriate rating.

Clive

https://codeandlife.com/2012/03/06/weller-magnastat-autopsy-and-repair/

For the lifetimes stash type of solder I use a No7 tip.

John

The No8 tip is set for 430 deg C (800 F)

I knew I could rely on you chaps! Thank you all very much for the excellent replies! I was a bit worried about where to start with the disassembly - old plastic and corroded parts but will have a go later and see how I get on.

Also thanks for the tip recommendation, there seems to be lots available so will check what it says on my solder.

It might be worth buying a small tin of tip cleaner which you can attach to the top of the unit, keeps he tip tinned and clean. RS sell them.

Well, that went well! It all came apart easily enough, even the tip came out without too much of a fight. After a little clean up I can see a 7 etched on the fixed magnet. As that works ok with the solder I have I'll get a new one and see how I get on...

Thanks for the tip (!) Clive, I'll check that out also.

Thanks again all, I'm very chuffed to have been able to get it back into service...

What looks like the correct Weller tip - Rapid Electronics have them in stock for about a fiver (plus etc) - or if you are near Colchester perhaps the trade counter is open.

I am only a very satisfied customer over several years

Thanks Nick, unfortunately not, almost the other side of the country!

I have one on order now so fingers crossed it will be up and running again in a few days...

It is worth getting a few different tips, I mostly used a fine conical point for most components but sometimes a bigger tip can be helpful. Doing long sessions of bench repairs meant leaving the iron on all day and eventually the iron coating of the bit gives up, once it is gone the tip erodes very quickly. Never ever use an abrasive to clean the tip or it will quickly be ruined. A wash bottle is handy to keep the sponge moist.

Mike

Looks like you need a new sponge as well. You should be able to get them from the same supplier.

Yes, that was what was in it Mike, I've ordered a direct replacement. This old thing only come out once in a blue moon, I tend to use my Weller pistol type for most soldering jobs as its much more powerful.

I have a rotary encoder on the LCD pcb from my 3D printer that is not working properly that needs changing out, this will do the job without ruining the pcb provided I'm careful. I've ordered a solder sucker too as my old one is in a safe place somewhere!

The TCP is rated at about 50W so is quite a powerful iron, not in the instant heat pistol type class but much more capable than a small 15W iron often used for electronic work. Being temperature controlled the 50W does not overheat the iron when used with a fine tip for PCB work but a bigger tip will stay hot on bigger jobs, the best of both worlds really.

Mike

Aye, it came from when I worked for Dowty Mining Electronic Systems, the company was developing electronic control for the hydraulics on their coal mining roof supports. They binned a few of these and went for all singing all dancing Wellers when they started to assemble their boards in house. Its a bit tatty but works and handy for what I need - good for nothing I guess!

The TCP is my favorite iron. I've used one I've used them for over 40 years. The Metcal RF heated curipoint irons are as good but much more expensive. The number on the bit sensor disk (curie point alloy) is the temperature in hundreads of degrees C. A 7 is good for 60/40 lead solder, a 8 is better for most lead free solders.

Note that the latest bits for these are two parts, a rear with sensor disk and a front "tip" while these are cheaper, they are not as good as the old one piece bits as the heat has to flow through the flat disk junction between the two halves and the sennso disk is better coupled to the heater than the tip.

Robert G8RPI

This little modification might be of interest: **LINK**

http://spritesmods.com/?art=wtcpled

Haven’t got round to doing it yet, but it’s on the list.

MichaelG.

When I was a Schoolmaster half a lifetime ago, we put a glass fibre (i think) sheath around the cable so that the young gentlemen would NOT melt the cable with the iron!

It was a simple job within the skills of our laboratory technician and saved a lot of problems in the long run.

MC

I used to swap the PVC covered mains leads for silicon heat resisting ones which as well as not melting made the irons far less 'bossy' and easier for the inexperienced to handle.